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My current 'road' bike is a Boardman CX 2013. Its a nice ish bike.
I've been looking at getting something like a Giant TCR in the sales, much lighter and racey than the Boardman.
I was supposed to be doing the 3 Peaks this year on my Boardman, but had to pull out due to injury.
While I watched near the summit of Whernside I helped a few people lift their bikes over the fences.
I was gobsmacked at how light they were compared to my CX bike.
So can you buy a road bike that will take tyre clearance up to 35's and would be strong enough to do the 3 Peaks, without loosing road geometry and weight savings?
Am I asking too much from one bike??
I doubt the bikes you were lifting were road bikes, rather proper race cyclocross bikes. Not much between the two weight wise 😯
No, what you are looking for is a fancier cross bike.
I have just bought a Genesis Datum 20 last week, and that feels very light, I have 35c continental cyclocross tyres with loads of clearance.
Seems fast enough on the road and with the right tyre pressures fairly comfortable off it.
I nearly bought a Focus carbon cross bike with cantis last week, bet it wasnt much heavier than a similar priced road bike, but why would it be, same wheels, same frame with slightly bigger clearances. Bigger tyres thats about it.
I doubt the bikes you were lifting were road bikes, rather proper race cyclocross bikes. Not much between the two weight wise
Agree. The CX bikes you may have been lifting were probably around 7 - 7.5KG whereas your Boardman is probably closer to 10kg.
That is a noticeable difference when picking up the bike. My 9kg SS MTB feels a lot heavier than my 7.2kg track bike.
To your question, yes a road bike can be used off road, I use a track bike as my only off road bike now (even with silly little 25c tyres on it) and i6t feels fine to me.
On your boardman the wheels weigh a shit load, the bogo finishing kit ain't exactly light either.
The difference in my cross bike from having the tubeless race wheels on it to the stock ones is noticeable to say the least
Scott addict gravel
On your boardman the wheels weigh a shit load
They are already upgraded to Kinesis Crosslights, which did take a load off, but it still isn't that light. They also made the ride a lot more zippy, but compared to a TCR it doesn't have that zippy ness or ability to climb.
Changing other stuff would cost nearly as much as buying a new bike.
There are CX bikes around that will actually be pretty close to the UCI limit. The only changes you'd need to make it round the three peaks are not that huge. Wheels, tyres and thats pretty much it.
You might make some other changes, but they wouldn't be needed or essential.
it's never going to really, despite upgrades. The TCR is a thoroughbred and hugely revered road frame, at the slightly racy end of endurance. The Boardman is a decent do it all road/cx frame. Worlds apart regardless of finishing kit.compared to a TCR it doesn't have that zippy ness or ability to climb.
[quote="FunkyDunc"]Changing other stuff would cost nearly as much as buying a new bike.Buy a better cross bike then?
Went to watch a race a couple of years ago (Proper UCI one) and pretty much the entire field was on carbon with either D-A (Di2 or mech) or Red, couple using Record as well.
And the crosslight wheels aren't exactly lightweight. Mid weight would be nearer the mark.
And it'll never climb quite like a road bike, the geometry is different.
Thinking about it, wouldn't one of Bowmans offerings be fairly close to the mark, road geometry with CX clearances. But not quite. You could get that nice and light for a couple of grand.
So basically as it stands, you can't buy a TCR type frame (and geometry) with slightly larger tyre clearance, that will not snap when you take it off road?
🙁
I understand there has to be compromise some where, but for me I'd be happy to have twitchy off road handling, rather than a sluggish on road bike.
The TCR won't snap off road, i've done a couple of cobbled classics on a (very) early TCR (1998 IIRC)
It's just got eff all clearances. (compared to a CX bike)
There was some superlightweight large tyre clearance bike posted here a few months ago, somebody called it gnarcross or something.
You wouldn't be that happy with road handling on something like the three peaks, maybe on your local league events........ and no one said a proper CX bike would be sluggish on road. Just your Boardman is a very average cross bike, probably closer to a tourer with nobbly tyres than a CX race bike.
What about this OP: http://road.cc/content/review/200675-3t-exploro-ltd-frameset
Better get the cheque book out though.
Anyway, why not just buy a TCR (or similar) to ride on the road and keep you Boardman for CX or 3 peaks?
Your Boardman CX , although middle-spec, will still ride way better than a TCR will off road.
Anyway, why not just buy a TCR (or similar) to ride on the road and keep you Boardman for CX or 3 peaks?
Because the whole point is that I have been looking at new road bikes, but was amazed how much lighter some CX bikes are than mine.
When you are a short arse 10kg v 7-8kg is a big difference to be lumping up hills.
To be fair I might try and get a ride on some lighter/better CX bikes and see how much compromise they are on road.
I don't really understand why everyone says that cx bikes are a compromise on the road? with the right tyres I find mine perfectly capable of doing what I want to do on the road.
I'd agree with that, for 95% of what 95% of people do on road bikes a new set of wheels (or just swap the tyres) would cover the "deficiencies" of a cross bike on road. (not really deficiencies, i just can't think of a better word)
And unless you are one of the loonies on weightweenies, there will always be someone with a lighter bike. Just pick your budget and build the best you can.
I don't really understand why everyone says that cx bikes are a compromise on the road? with the right tyres I find mine perfectly capable of doing what I want to do on the road.
Well I find that the Boardman isn't long enough in the top tube, the geometry is a bit slack, chainstays a bit long. Just all makes it a bit sluggish. (that's with 1,600g wheels and Grand Prix 2's)
Granted I probably need to check out a £2k ish CX race bike to get a real comparison....
As i said earlier, the boardman CX isn't a race bike. It's a touring/gravel/commute bike with nobbly tyres.
A do it all bike.
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That's more of a CX bike.
Probably weighs under 8 kilos too. the only properly CX specific bits on that are the tubs and brakes.
I have the Boardman. It's pretty heavy... Don't fancy the idea of racing it myself. I think generally speaking though, you pay more for a light CX bike than you do for a road bike.
Didn't Giant already solve this problem with the TCX?
My 17lb CX race bike weighs less than my road race bike - sub kilo frame, 1200g wheels is what makes the difference. Downside its really stiff and beats you up on the road with skinny tyres.
My Tripster ATR is only 8.2kg with 37c tyres and hydro brakes.
I have a 2014 TCR and it's a struggle getting 25s on it never mind anything fatter
Your bike is a drop bar hybrid**. Just buy a decent, racy cross bike and it will do what you want, on or off road.
**nowt wrong with that of course but it's never going to set the world alight.
I have a Giant TCX in alu and also an alu TCR. Both really good for their intended purpose. I bet a carbon TCX would be even more fantastic, but as per the alu version, a little short in the top tube for on road.
If you want one drop bar uber bike to do it all, but are leaning towards a CX, why nor get a TCX as stated above, 2 sets of wheels & tyres and a longer stem for road duties if you're worried about top tube length?
My Tripster ATR is only 8.2kg with 37c tyres and hydro brakes.
Tripster does tick the boxes. Mine is my road bike, with a wheel swap for cross (as I'm too lazy to swap tyres). Could probably get a little lighter but I could shift more than the bike.